BY JULIE PACE
AP WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- President Barack Obama said Sunday that comments reportedly made by the owner of a U.S. pro basketball team are "incredibly offensive racist statements," before casting them as part of a continuing legacy of slavery and segregation that Americans must confront.
"When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don't really have to do anything, you just let them talk," Obama said when asked to respond to the reported comments from Los Angeles Clippers' owner Donald Sterling.
Obama's description of the controversy as part of a larger historical context is the latest example of his continuing willingness to expound on matters of race in his second term.
After avoiding much mention of race relations during his campaign to become the first black president and in his first term, the president last summer offered a personal reflection in response to the shooting of black teenager Trayvon Martin. And now Obama has spoken out against an audio recording of a man identified as Sterling telling his girlfriend not to bring black people to games.
The firestorm over Sterling's comments has quickly engulfed the National Basketball Association.
Obama cast the comments through a broader prism of racism in America, adding that "we constantly have to be on guard on racial attitudes that divide us rather than embracing our diversity as a strength."
"The United States continues to wrestle with the legacy of race and slavery and segregation, that's still there, the vestiges of discrimination," Obama said during a news conference in Malaysia, where he was traveling.
"We've made enormous strides, but you're going to continue to see this percolate up every so often," he added. "And I think that we just have to be clear and steady in denouncing it, teaching our children differently, but also remaining hopeful that part of why statements like this stand out some much is because there has been this shift in how we view ourselves."
In the recording attributed to Sterling recording and posted on the website TMZ, a male voice questions his girlfriend's association with minorities. TMZ reported the woman, V. Stiviano, is of black and Mexican descent.
The man asks Stiviano not to broadcast her association with black people or bring black people to games. The man specifically mentions Lakers Hall of Famer Magic Johnson on the recording, saying, "Don't bring him to my games, OK?"
Obama said he's confident NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will address the matter. He said the NBA has "an awful lot of African American players, it's steeped in African American culture. And I suspect that the NBA is going to be deeply concerned in resolving this."
Silver had said the NBA needs to confirm authenticity of the audio tape and interview both Sterling and the woman in the recording. He called the tape "disturbing and offensive" and promised to investigate quickly.
AP WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) -- President Barack Obama said Sunday that comments reportedly made by the owner of a U.S. pro basketball team are "incredibly offensive racist statements," before casting them as part of a continuing legacy of slavery and segregation that Americans must confront.
"When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don't really have to do anything, you just let them talk," Obama said when asked to respond to the reported comments from Los Angeles Clippers' owner Donald Sterling.
Obama's description of the controversy as part of a larger historical context is the latest example of his continuing willingness to expound on matters of race in his second term.
After avoiding much mention of race relations during his campaign to become the first black president and in his first term, the president last summer offered a personal reflection in response to the shooting of black teenager Trayvon Martin. And now Obama has spoken out against an audio recording of a man identified as Sterling telling his girlfriend not to bring black people to games.
The firestorm over Sterling's comments has quickly engulfed the National Basketball Association.
Obama cast the comments through a broader prism of racism in America, adding that "we constantly have to be on guard on racial attitudes that divide us rather than embracing our diversity as a strength."
"The United States continues to wrestle with the legacy of race and slavery and segregation, that's still there, the vestiges of discrimination," Obama said during a news conference in Malaysia, where he was traveling.
"We've made enormous strides, but you're going to continue to see this percolate up every so often," he added. "And I think that we just have to be clear and steady in denouncing it, teaching our children differently, but also remaining hopeful that part of why statements like this stand out some much is because there has been this shift in how we view ourselves."
In the recording attributed to Sterling recording and posted on the website TMZ, a male voice questions his girlfriend's association with minorities. TMZ reported the woman, V. Stiviano, is of black and Mexican descent.
The man asks Stiviano not to broadcast her association with black people or bring black people to games. The man specifically mentions Lakers Hall of Famer Magic Johnson on the recording, saying, "Don't bring him to my games, OK?"
Obama said he's confident NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will address the matter. He said the NBA has "an awful lot of African American players, it's steeped in African American culture. And I suspect that the NBA is going to be deeply concerned in resolving this."
Silver had said the NBA needs to confirm authenticity of the audio tape and interview both Sterling and the woman in the recording. He called the tape "disturbing and offensive" and promised to investigate quickly.
Even though everybody on the right seems to hate the president, and hate him worse than they did any other democrat ever, even though he is more conservative than Clinton was, they are always so quick to point out that the fact that he is the 1st ever black president, after over 200 years of nothing but white ones, how that has nothing at all to do with why they hate him so badly - they are playing a race card by even suggesting such a thing!
I mean, just because congress has signed a pact to vote against him in every proposal he puts before them in order to make him look like he failed,( no matter 'HOW' good for our country it would be!) it has nothing to do with the fact that he is black, and that if he succeeds it might lead to other blacks being elected in the future, 'SHUCKS' no.
They hate him only because he wasn't born here they say, (even tho they know he 'WAS'), or because he is a "Muslim"-( even tho they know he is 'CHRISTIAN'), or a "terrorist"- (even tho he had bin laden 'KILLED' for them). They have so many words they call him - socialist, liberal, atheist, just about any lie they can think of.......everything except the 'N' word, which is what they call him when they are alone with each other. I know, I am white, I hear white conservatives all the time.
Obama's only concern has been for those who are less fortunate than himself, and he has risked his entire reputation for the sake of those who couldn't afford health care for themselves.
I mean, why do those on the right think he pushes so hard for health care- what is in it for him? He doesn't need insurance, we all know that! They can't figure it out, because they have never seen this type of president before, all they have ever known is the type of president who gets into office so that he can pass laws that will make it easier to keep the very rich happy, or to do what the lobbiests want.
Not Obama, he cares mostly for those who are less advantaged than he is, for very little reward in it for himself, he goes to bat for the disadvantaged.
He knows what kind of hate he is going to face, he knows it better than anybody else, they call him every dirty name they can think of. Still, he finds ways to understand his critics, he even seems to feel sorry for them. I really don't know why these people wouldn't want such a man as their leader, I only know that they don't 'DESERVE' such a good man.
Either the last president has made them so cynical that they can never believe a president is decent again, or they can not accept a black man as president after over 230 years of nothing but white ones, every single time, this seems to be the reasoning. They didn't hate presidents that were more liberal than Obama is that were white as much as they do him, and he even got bin Laden for us after Bush couldn't.
Maybe the best they deserve is another Bush.
I really don't give a sh** because they all are a**holes .
The girlfriend -----V. Stiviano is of Black and Mexican descent , Donald Sterling sure like his dark meat ( to quote the saying ), maybe Sterling is afraid the saying is true about black men .
Now that is a kick in the head .
Just my humble opinion
Good article PIC. Expose every racist you can.
ReplyDeleteAnd Mr Humble is right on point with everything he said.
Couldn't agree more. Maybe distance gives us a bit more objectivity but we and most of the world think Mr Obama is a good man and a fitting leader.( even though he is a bit too diplomatic or as I put it, a little wishy washy)
Luv PIC
Thank you , this is some of the things that's still wrong with society ... still living in the dark ages .
ReplyDeleteThe world is changing and we have to change with it or be left behind .
I do so agree that Obama is wishy-washy ... his problem is he tries to please every Tom ... Dick ... Harry in the world instead of just keeping his promises to the people and damn what the fat cats and lobbyists think .
I will out them as I find them ... I suspect in another couple of decades there will only be only different shades of "BROWN"
Luv PIC